New Management Teams Ratified in Down

Thursday 5th November 2015

New Management Teams Ratified in Down

• Former star players take charge of Senior and Minor teams
• Steering Group to lead the Mourne County GAA Academy
• New county sponsors confirmed

The Down GAA County Committee ratified the appointment of Eamonn Burns as the new manager of the Senior Football Team at a meeting this evening.

The announcement of new management teams for all football teams will also see a return to the intercounty scene for James McCartan who will take charge of the Minor side.

Eamonn Burns was a central figure on the Down team that won the All-Ireland title in 1991, scoring two points from play at midfield on the day that the Mourne County bridged a 23 year gap to reclaim the Sam Maguire Cup.  He won a second All-Ireland medal in 1994 and was a long-serving stalwart for the Bryansford team.  A teacher in Newcastle, Burns served as a selector under James McCartan with the Down team in 2013 and 2014, and as well as managing his home club in recent seasons, he has had management spells with Ballymartin, Darragh Cross and Tullylish.

Eamonn Burns will confirm the makeup of his management and backroom teams next week.

County Chairman Sean Rooney welcomed the appointment, stating that “Eamonn Burns will undoubtedly bring the same degree of commitment and passion to the job as manager as he did when he was a player and we all wish him well”.  He added that “there is considerable goodwill for Eamonn, James and their teams and we will give them all the support and resources that they will require”.

The Down senior team will play their league football in Division 1 in 2016, with home games against Dublin, Kerry and Donegal.  They have been drawn to face Monaghan in next year’s Ulster Championship.

Two years after his reign as senior football manager came to an end, James McCartan returns to take the reins at Minor level.  McCartan is one of Down’s most decorated players, with 2 All-Ireland senior winning medals, an All-Ireland Minor medal, 2 Sigerson Cups and 2 Allstars.  He led Down to the All-Ireland final in his first year in charge as manager in 2010 and is the present Sigerson Cup manager with Queen’s University.

McCartan’s management team will include Karl Oakes (Downpatrick), Ambrose Rogers (Longstone), Ronan McMahon (Warrenpoint) and team trainer Sean O’Hare (Burren).

The County Committee also ratified an eight-member Steering Group for the Mourne County GAA Academy under the chairmanship of former All-Ireland winning captain Paddy O’Rourke. Other members of the Group include 1994 All-Ireland winning captain DJ Kane (Newry Shamrocks), Declan Mussen (Kilcoo), Dr Eddie Harney (Saul), Joe Tunney (Carryduff), James McCartan (Minor Manager), Conor O’Toole (County Development Manager), Tom Potter (Coaching Officer) and Professor Niall Moyna (DCU) who will act as a consultant/advisor to the group.

The U-21 team will be managed by Frank Dawson who will be assisted by Brendan Mason and Paddy Murray.  Dawson has extensive management and coaching experience with Clonduff, Longstone, Burren, Bryansford and Antrim.  The U-21 team have been drawn at home to Armagh in the first round of the 2016 Ulster Championship.

The County Committee meeting also confirmed a new sponsor for the Down football and hurling teams.  EOS IT Management Solutions will replace Canal Court Hotel on the county jerseys from 2016.  EOS specialise in IT and Video Conferencing solutions. A global organisation with bases in the US, UK, Australia, Europe and Asia, they are headquartered in Banbridge.

The full unveiling of the new sponsorship will take place within the coming weeks.

Down GAA wish to record their gratitude to Canal Court Hotel and the McParland family who have been loyal and invaluable sponsors of our county teams since 1996.  The owners and staff of the Hotel will continue to be good friends and supporters of the county and the Down GAA teams.

END